Duncan McLaren
Encyclopedia
Duncan McLaren was a Liberal Party
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Edinburgh
.
Born in Renton, Scotland
, Duncan McLaren was the youngest of ten children of John McLaren and Catherine McLellan. Apart from two years of schooling, was self taught. After school, he was apprenticed to a merchant in Dunbar. In 1824 he set up his own business as a draper in Edinburgh. He became a member of the City Council in 1833. He became City Treasurer in 1837 and found that the city’s finances were in ruin and that the Scottish Capital was bankrupt. His work extricated Edinburgh from financial ruin. In 1835 he pioneered free education for all classes and started a building programme of thirteen schools.
He was elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh in 1851. McLaren was a Liberal and supported the anti–Corn Law campaign of John Bright
, the opening of the Meadows in Edinburgh to the Public, and the establishment of 'the Industrial Museum'. McLaren was also a governor of the Heriot Free School trust.
In 1865 he was elected one of Edinburgh
’s two Members of Parliament, a position he held until he retired 16 years later. In Parliament he proved a conscientious and intelligent representative, and acquired a position of so much authority on Scottish questions, that he was called "Member for Scotland".
Duncan McLaren was married three times - the third being Priscilla Bright (sister of John Bright
and Margaret Bright Lucas
), who he married in 1848, and they lived together in Newington House, Edinburgh from 1852 until his death in 1886. He is buried in St. Cuthberts Church Cemetery in the heart of Edinburgh.
He was the father of Charles McLaren, 1st Baron Aberconway
, John McLaren, Lord McLaren, Walter Stowe Bright McLaren (all three being Members of Parliament), Helen Priscilla McLaren
(wife of Andrea Rabagliati
) and Agnes McLaren
.
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Edinburgh
Edinburgh (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1885. Originally a single member constituency, representation was increased to two members in 1832...
.
Renton, Scotland
Renton is a small district in central Scotland. In the 2001 National Census it had a population of 2,138.Renton is particularly famous for the village's association football side. Renton F.C...
, Duncan McLaren was the youngest of ten children of John McLaren and Catherine McLellan. Apart from two years of schooling, was self taught. After school, he was apprenticed to a merchant in Dunbar. In 1824 he set up his own business as a draper in Edinburgh. He became a member of the City Council in 1833. He became City Treasurer in 1837 and found that the city’s finances were in ruin and that the Scottish Capital was bankrupt. His work extricated Edinburgh from financial ruin. In 1835 he pioneered free education for all classes and started a building programme of thirteen schools.
He was elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh in 1851. McLaren was a Liberal and supported the anti–Corn Law campaign of John Bright
John Bright
John Bright , Quaker, was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with Richard Cobden in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League. He was one of the greatest orators of his generation, and a strong critic of British foreign policy...
, the opening of the Meadows in Edinburgh to the Public, and the establishment of 'the Industrial Museum'. McLaren was also a governor of the Heriot Free School trust.
In 1865 he was elected one of Edinburgh
Edinburgh (UK Parliament constituency)
Edinburgh was a burgh constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 until 1885. Originally a single member constituency, representation was increased to two members in 1832...
’s two Members of Parliament, a position he held until he retired 16 years later. In Parliament he proved a conscientious and intelligent representative, and acquired a position of so much authority on Scottish questions, that he was called "Member for Scotland".
Duncan McLaren was married three times - the third being Priscilla Bright (sister of John Bright
John Bright
John Bright , Quaker, was a British Radical and Liberal statesman, associated with Richard Cobden in the formation of the Anti-Corn Law League. He was one of the greatest orators of his generation, and a strong critic of British foreign policy...
and Margaret Bright Lucas
Margaret Bright Lucas
Margaret Bright Lucas was a temperance activist and suffragist.-Biography:Margaret Bright was born on 14 July 1818 at Rochdale, Lancashire...
), who he married in 1848, and they lived together in Newington House, Edinburgh from 1852 until his death in 1886. He is buried in St. Cuthberts Church Cemetery in the heart of Edinburgh.
He was the father of Charles McLaren, 1st Baron Aberconway
Charles McLaren, 1st Baron Aberconway
Charles Benjamin Bright McLaren, 1st Baron Aberconway, PC, QC, JP , known as Sir Charles McLaren, 1st Baronet between 1902 and 1911, was a Scottish jurist and Liberal Party politician. He was a landowner and industrialist.-Education:Born in Edinburgh, McLaren was the son of the politician Duncan...
, John McLaren, Lord McLaren, Walter Stowe Bright McLaren (all three being Members of Parliament), Helen Priscilla McLaren
Helen Priscilla McLaren
Helen Priscilla Rabagliati, MBE was a local philanthropist and campaigner for improvements in health, women's condition and political change.She was the daughter of Duncan McLaren and Priscilla Bright ....
(wife of Andrea Rabagliati
Andrea Rabagliati
Andrea Carlo Francisco Rabagliati, born Scotland 1843, died on 7 December 1930, Bradford, was the author of books on dietary practice.Andrea Rabagliati was the son of Giacomo Rabagliati, a political refugee from Italy...
) and Agnes McLaren
Agnes McLaren
Agnes McLaren was a respected Scottish doctor who was the first to give medical assistance to women in India who, because of custom, were unable to get medical help from male doctors.-Background:...
.